Waipio Lookout

This lookout can be very easy amazing jaw dropping view, but for the brave it can also be one of the most grueling but rewarding hikes you’ll ever do. The hike goes down into the middle of the valley and down to the beach, but be warned – with a 25 grade steep slope going down is hard, but coming back up will leave your legs shaky, best do something relaxing the day after.

A classic white sand beach of old Hawaii. With the Kohala and Hualālai Mountains visible on either side on a clear day, this is a perfect beach for some laying out, body boarding and swimming. There’s always lifeguards on duty and the parking lot is very large. The facilities at this beach are also top notch, easily the best on the island. So if you’re not up to using the bathroom in a dip in a lava field, this beach is a great starter beach before braving the more secluded ones that require long hikes.

Related

The easiest way to see all the many ecosystems of Hawaii is to drive around Hawaii Belt Road. It’s a trip that will take you through lush jungles, huge tropical gorges, shorelines cliffs, high into the clouds, along the jagged lava coast and into wastelands of past lava flows. It feels like you’ve traveled through so many different places where in actually you’ve only driven for a day. There are stopping points along the way, if you want to make the trip in a whole day, consider maybe checking out some cool places to camp or stay at along the way.